Fishhook making machine



A118- 27, 1945- w. J. DE wlTT ETAL 2,406,456

` FIsHHooK MAKING MACHINE 5Filed .June 29, 1944 3 sheets-sheet 1lAttorne t Sw Wm m0 6J. Um hm W Herbert A Corbett 34' .B

Au8- 27, 1946. w. J. DE WITT ETAL 2,406,455

FIsHHooKMAKING momma y Filed June 2,9, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 InventorsWzllliaml eWL Herberlt- Corbett By tZzLr Attorney All@ 27, 1946 w. J. DEwrrr ETAL 2,406,456 I FIsHHooK MAKING MACHINE Filed .nine 29, 1944 ssheets-sheet s Sney 0W10r l eTo a. Mrovn. A DMAWY. lnfame\ .IJ .t www. H

Patented Aug. 27, 1946 FISHHOOK MAKING MACHINE william J. De Witt andVHerbert A. Corbett,

Auburn, N. Y., assignors to Shoe Form Co. Inc., Y Auburn, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application June 29, 1944, Serial No. 542,710 .f

1o claims. (o1. 2s-9i This invention relates to machines for operatingupon wire blanks, and is herein illustrated as embodied in an automaticiishhook making machine of the type Idisclosed in application for-United States Letters Patent Serial No. 451,792, led'July 21, 1942, nowPatent No. 2,379,886, granted July 10, 1945, in the names of William J.De Witt, Ernest L. Ott and William B. Runk.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved mechanism forfeeding wire blanks, such as shhook blanks, to the work holders of aforming machine, in such a manner that the blanks will be accuratelypositioned in the holders n so that'they can readily be presented inpreden termined position to instrumentalities for carrying out theforming operations. To this end and as illustrated, the inventionprovides in a machine ofthe type referred to a rotatable turret havingpositioned thereon a plurality of work holders, a magazine for fishhookblanks, feed together with mechanism for positioning each blank inpredetermined relation to the holder and securing it in `lixed positiontherein. 'Ihis mechanism is advantageous in that, since the blanks areaccurately located relatively to the holders, the presentation oftheblanks to various operating instrumentalities is closely controlled.This avoids any likelihood of damaging blanks due to improper locationof the ends of the blanks to operating tools, such as dies forperforming an eyeing operation, or a 'chisel for formingabarb, 'v fThese and'other features of the invention 'are described in thefollowing specification, are shown in the accompanying drawings, and arepointed outin the claims.

In the drawings, Fig, 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a shhookmaking machine, showing the relation of the feeding mechanism to theturret;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the feeding mechanism and a portion of theturret;

Fig. 4 is a side View onV an enlarged scale showing mechanism forlocating blanks relative t work holders; and

Y Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the turret with a workholder, together with mechanism for lpositioning the blank relatively tothe holder. v v

The machine ycomprises' a rotatableturret I0 A50 50. Wire-iishhookblanks,.such asjblanks 38canV carrying a plurality of work holdersorchucks I2, a magazine I4 for lishhock blanks, and ay drum I6 for`moving blanks one at a time to the work holders. f

The turret -l 0 is mounted upon a portion of the frame I8 of themachine, and is `arranged to be rotated successively to present the workholders to various operating instrumentalties (not shown) arrange-dabout the periphery of Ithe turret. For further details of constructionand operation of the turret, reference may be had to they aforementionedapplication.

Eachr ofthe work holders Vor chucks l2 comprises ya sleeve 29, Figs. l,2 and 5, carrying at its upper end a stationary clamping jaw 22, therebeing a spindle 24 extending through the sleeve and terminating inamovable clamping jaw 26. The operating portion of the movable clampingjaw comprises a` laterally projecting plate 28 having a portion 30,received in a slot in the upper endv ofthe spindle, for maintainingplate in predetermined position, and a-'screw 32 for securing it to thespindle. Thel purpose of this is to facilitate they replacement of theplate when it becomes' worn.` YThe stationary jaw r22 has aninset-portion 34, which is beveled, as

shown at 36, adjacent to the spindle, to receive a `wire iishhook blank,such as a 'blank 38, to position the blank horizon-tally and to hold itin such vposition `when the movable clamping jaw is pressed down uponthe blank. The movable jaw 28 is normally forced downwardly toward thestationary jaw by means of a spring 4) surrounding the lower end ofthespindle and resting upon a ,Washer 42.

wardly to force the two jaws into engagement,

and, when al blank is positioned between the: jaws, rmly to grip it withthe blank resting in The magazine I4 is carried by an opstanding bracketM, mounted on vthe framer of the machine,- and comprises an upwardlyextending rearl wall, and a downwardlyinclined bottom plate be stackedin the hopper 'and gravity will operate tourge them downwardly alongtheinclined bottorn of the hopperintoeng'agement with the peripheryofthe'drum I6.' Y 's This spring normally, urges the spindle andthe movable jaw down- 3V y Mech'anism is provided for moving the blanksone at a time into position to be advanced to work holders` I2 upon theturret. This mechanism includes the drum I6, which comprises twocircular disks 52 and 5A which are keyed to av rotary shaft 56 arrangedto be driven by a gear 5S. The disks extend into the magazine I4 withtheir peripheries close to th'e'lower end of the inl clined bottom plate5G, so as to support the blanks the disk 52 having a wide flange 59 forThe disksV are spaced apart uponl that purpose. opposite sides of thepath of movement of the Work holders I2 on the turret, so that the'workholders may passv through the drum in receiving blanks therefrom. Thedisks forming thev drum` areV provided alongV their peripheries withpairs V'of alined grooves 60 and 62 adapted successively to engage andto pick up the lowerrnost of the blanks positioned within the magazine.

In order to maintain the blanks in position in the grooves during thismovement,V there are provided two curved guide plates Sli and 65extending close to the outer surfaces of the disks ,52 andV iidlthroughout considerable portions of their `perip'heries,Y Theguide-plate 6d is 'secured to the' bracket @il and has a vertical wallkextending along the outer face of the disk 52 and a l horizontal rflange60 extending along the flange 50 of the disk. The guide plate t6 issimilarly shaped, having a vertical Vwall 'i0 and-a vflange l f l2. Theplate Sii is supported to extend alongv the outer side of the disk 'Seby means o-f an arm 'I4 mounted upon the upper Vend of the bracket l andsecuredin xed position of adj ustment laterally of the bracket by a bolt'16' extending through an elongated slot 'i8 in the arm. The verticalwallY 'I0 ofthe guide plate 66 vhas at `its upper inner 'end anoutwardly curved part 80,-*Figs 2 and 3, which acts asaprelimipositioning member to force blanks, located in the' grooves andb2, toward the vertical wall e., of merecida et, so that blanks whichmay Vhave been unevenlyl stacked inthe khopper can be readily movedalong the guide platesin Vadvancing the yblanks toward the-worksupports;

The lower. ends of the guideplatesY 64 and 50 are curved outwardly away'from the peripheries of the disks 52 Vand 5G, and constitute platformsE2 and 83 for receiving each blank 'asit drops .by gravity from thegrooves blitz.' There are vtwo horizontal plates Sl `and 85, securedrespectively to the guide plates S4 V'and 66, across which thel blanksare advanced'from the .platform 82. The plates 8f3 and 85 are providedwith' beveled surfaces 88 which terminate in abutments 99 fordetermining the position of each blank along the path of movement of thework holders at the time of presentation of the blank to a holder. t isto be noted that the platforms 82 and 83 are spaced above the platesl 84and '86 by a suiiicient distance `to permit the vpassage of ablankbeneath the platforms after it has been'posii tioned ina work holder.

In order to feed the blanks into position between the jaws, there areprovided two feed f` fingers Q2 loosely mounted upo'npivots 4 on theguide plates 54 and 65, respectively. The fingers are normally urged bysprings 96 in a direction opposite tothe direction ofmovement of thework holders between Vthe platforms. Portions Rota` non of the drumAresults in shifting the blanks through an angular'distance'cf about 300.to` I.. `move them into position to loe-fed to work holders.

fil

platforms 82 and 83. The Vtiming'of the mechanism is such that, as theassociated grooves in the plates @il and 66 approach the platforms 82and S3, the teeth' H34 operate to retract the feed fingers vto permitpassage of a blank. Shortly afterwards the nose portions I of thelingers are released from the teeth, and the springs 90 force the feedfingers downwardly to engage the blank and move it into engagementWithfthe abutments S0 in alinement with the open jaws of awork holderthen in position to receive a blank. As th'e work holder with a blanktherein moves past the platforms,l the pressure of the blank upon thefingers causes them to retract slightly against pressure of the springsuntil the :e'ed fingers disengage themselves from the blank which isthen carried bythe work holderth'rough theV passage between the platesand' the lplatforms, and is advanced to an operating 'station (notshown).

In presenting blanks toA operating instrumentalities, it is importantvthat each blank project .by a predetermined distance laterally from theY,

line of feed thereof, in order that uniform location of successiveblanks, relative to the operating mechanism, can -be obtained. Toaccomplish this, there is provided a blank positioning device comprisinga linger |08, Fig. -4,1ocated adjacent to the platforms along the path.of Ymovement of the outer'en'ds of the blanks. "The finger 'y is pivotedupon a pin H0 carried by the kguide plate 54. The .linger is forcedinwardly against the ends of the blanks, as they pass by it, by means ofa Vleaf spring IIZ whichvmoves th'e blanks laterally. until theirpointed ends engage the vertical wall 3 of the guideplateY 64, thus llocating them with the pointed ends in predetermined positiontransversely of the path vof movement of the work-supports. i

In the operation of the machine, pointed lishhook Vblanks are placed inthe hopper. I d with their pointed ends disposed away from the axisofthe ofthe plates -anjd the'platf'orms are cut away,

l' respectively, :at 98' and `|00 vto permit. rearward turret I0. 'I'hedrum I0, by means of the grooves .60, Asuccessively picksup blanksrfromthe magazine and rotates them through an angle of about 300, the blanksbeing'retained in the grooves during their downward movement by theguide plates 64 and 66. Shortly after the' blanks are picked up by thedrum, they are shifted-laterallyV by means of the member 80, whichserves to drect them into the space between the guide plates. As eachblank approaches the end orfvits movement with the drum, itis positionedin definite relation laterally to the path of movementof the workholders I2 by the spring-pressed ngerIIS, after which the blank dropsupon theplatforms S2 and Bil, and is forced against the abutments 05] bythev spring pressed fingers 92 kwhich locate the blank in alinement withthefjaws of a work holder. :When a work holder with open jaws passesbetween the platforms, the fingers 92 yieldingly force theblankbetweenthe jaws to locate it in the pocket formed bythebevel Sinthe lower jaw, and the ngers retain controlv of the blankv to Yhold it`in fixed position vuntil the lever I3` is re- The fingers are retractedby leased, thus closing the jaws to clamp the blank in the holder inpredetermined position for presentation to an operating instrumentality.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A shhook making machine comprising a rotatable turret, a plurality ofchucks mountedA uponthe turret, stationary platforms extending uponopposite sides of the path of movement of the chucks, a magazine forholding fishhook blanks, a drum located adjacent to the platforms and tothe magazine, grooves in the drum for re ceiving blanks from themagazine, means for rotating the drum to feed the blanks one at a timefrom the magazine to the platforms, and intermittently operated feedfingers for advancing each blank from the platforms to a chuck.

2. A shhook making machine comprising a chuck, means for moving thechuck from one operating station to another, a magazine for fishhookblanks, stationary platforms extending upon opposite sides of the pathof movement of the chuck, means for advancing blanks one at a time fromthe magazine to the platforms, and fingers for moving a blank from theplatforms to a chuck.

3. A fishhook making machine comprising a work holder, means for movingthe work holder from one operating Station to another, stationary feedplatforms located upon opposite sides of the path of movement of thework holder, a magazine for shhook blanks, a drum for advancing blanksone at a time from the magazine to the platforms, and feed fingers forpresenting a blank upon the platforms to the work holder.

4. In a fishhook making machine, a plurality of chucks, means foradvancing the chucks successively past an operating instrumentality, apair of platforms located upon opposite sides of the path of movement ofthe chucks, a magazine for fishhook blanks, a rotary drum for advancingblanks one at a time from the magazine to the platforms, spring-pressedngers for advancing blanks one at a time from the platforms to thechucks, and means operable positively to retract the fingers prior tomovement of each blank to the platforms.

5. A flshhook making machine comprising a plurality of spaced stationaryplatforms, a rotary drum adjacent to the paltforms, a magazine forfishhook blanks adjacent to one side of the drum,

a curved guideway partially surrounding the druml and extending to theplatforms, grooves in theA drum for receiving blanks from the magazinefor advancing the blanks one at a time along the guideway to theplatforms, a turret, work holding devices carried by the turret, meansfor advancing the work holding devices successively into positionbetween the platforms, and means for presenting a blank on the platformsto a work holding device positioned between the platforms.

6. A machine for operating upon wire blanks comprising a plurality ofwork holders, each having blank clamping jaws, means for moving the Workholders along a predetermined path, feed platforms located upon oppositesides of the path of movement of the work holders, blank locatingabutments positioned adjacent to the platforms, an open-ended blankmagazine located adjacent to the path, two spaced disks located uponopposite sides Aof the path adjacent to the magazine for feeding blanksone at a time from the magazineto the platforms, and spring pressedfingers for moving the blanks successively across the platforms intoengagement with the abutments.

'7. A machine for operating upon wire blanks comprising a work holder,means for moving the work holder along a predetermined path, feedplatforms located upon opposite sides of the pathr of movement of theholder, blank locating abutments adjacent to the platforms, anopen-ended magazine located adjacent to the path, twospaced diskslocated upon opposite sides of the path adjacent to the magazine, thedisks being provided with alined grooves for receiving blanks from themagazine, means for rotating the disks to move blanks one at a time fromthe magazine to the platforms, spring pressed fingers for moving theblanks one at a time across the platforms into engagement with theabutments, and means operable to retract the fingers prior to movementof a blank to the platforms.

8. A machine for operating upon wire blanks comprising a magazine forblanks, a plurality of disks located adjacent to the magazine and havingalined grooves in the peripheries thereof for receiving blanks from themagazine, two spaced platforms located adjacent to the disks, means forrotating the disks to advance the blanks one at a time from the magazineto the platforms, abutments adjacent to the platforms for locating ablank in a predetermined position, spring pressed fingers for moving ablank upon the platforms into engagement with the abutments, and a workholder mounted for movement between the disks to receive a blank locatedin position against the abutments.

9. A machine for operating upon wire blanks comprising a plurality ofwork holders, each having blank clamping jaws, means for moving the Workholders in a predetermined path, blank receiving members positioned uponopposite sides of the path of movement of the work holders, stationaryabutments for locating blanks in a predetermined position relativelytothe path, means for feeding blanks one at a time to the blankreceiving members, pivotally mounted feed fingers for advancing theblanksr successively across the blank receiving members into engagementwith the abutments, and means for retracting thefingers during movementof a blank to thel blank receiving members.

` 10. A machine for operating upon wire blanks comprising a magazine,two spaced disks located adjacent to the magazine, 'said disks having

